Lasting apparatus



Nov. 11, 1924. 1,515,008

E. BROTHERS LASTING APPARATUS Original Filed Sept-`9l4, 1912 Patented Nov. 11, 1924.

H' E S T TES ATENT OFFICE.

ELI BROTHERS, 'OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PAT-ERSON, NEW JERSEY, A yCOR- POR-ATION F NEW JERSEY.

LASTING- APPARATUS.

Application filed September 14, 1912, Serial No. 720,380. Renewed May 6, 1918.

To all whom may concern Be it known that I, ELI BROTHERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Lasting Apparatus, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying rawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to the manufacture of boots and shoes and among its objects are to facilitate the shaping of an upper to its last and the permanent fastening of the upper to the innersole or the sole, and to protect the upper from injury or soiling during the shoe making operations.

Any important feature of the invention consists in novel apparatus for use in working an upper into lasted position on a last. The construction herein shown as an illustrative embodiment of the invention comprises a device constructed to extend about substantially the entire periphery of a shoe in conforming relation to the contour of the lateral surface of the shoe lengthwise of the bottom edge about the forepart and while abutting against the shoe at the rear of the heel portion to be forced in a direction to wipe the upper at the forepart over the lateral surface of the last toward the bottom edge of the shoe. By use of the device in this manner the upper lis wiped into lasted position with the margin of the upper upstanding substantially at right angles to thel plane of the'sole of the shoe. Preferably the device is made of resilient material to cause it to conform to slight irregularities in the shapes of dierent shoes while presenting` normally a contour characteristic of the shoes of a given size and style. rlhe device herein shown is also shaped to conform substantially to the vertical contour of the shoe about the forepart for a considerable dis` Serial No. 232,979.

clamping. the updrawn upper about the periphery of the forepart of the shoe tothe lateral surface of the last and the edge face n upper to the sole. An advantageous characteristic of the illustrative construction, as adapted for use upon some types of shoes such as turn shoes, is that while holding the upper securely in 'place it leaves a portion of the upper located opposite to the edge of the sole free to be operated upon inthe upper and sole securing operation. y Preferably, moreover, the device presents an uninterrupted exterior face substantially parallel to the lateral contour of the last adjacent to the shoe bottom adapted to serve as a guide during the presentation of the shoe to a machiney for securing the upper to the sole. lNhile this feature of the invention is herein shown as embodied in upper holding means yadapted for use initially to work the upper into lasted position in the manner hereinbefore explained, in its broader yaspects the invention contemplates the provision of novel means for holding an upper in lasted position irrespective of the particular manner in which ,the upperv may have been tensioned and conformed to the last.

Still another feature of the invention consists in the combination with a last of a shoe embracing member adapted to fit snugly the lateral surface of the shoe while leaving the lower surface exposed, such member serv ing to protect the upper of the shoe from injury or from being soiled 'during subsequent manufacturing operations.

By the use of the illustrated embodiment of this invention important advantages are obtained among which may be mentioned economy of time and labor and upper stock as well as the saving of toe fastening material, together with a superior quality of toe j lasting because'good qualities of the wiper ytype of bed lasting are secured without the slacking back of the stock whichis incident to the withdrawal of machine lasting plates after the application of the temporary fastening means in order to permit the shoe to be presented to the welter.

Other features of the invention, several of 'which are important and which include certain details of construction and combinations of parts, will appear from the following description of a pi'eferred construction and will then be pointed out in the claims. The improvement in methods of making shoes which is herein disclosed is claimed in a divisional application Serial No. 100,366, tiled on May 27, 1916, upon which Letters Patent No. 1,482,220 were granted on J anuary 29, 1924.

Fig. 1 is a side view of apparatus in which the invention is embodied:

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 show modifications.

Fig. 5 shows a section through a shoe lasted by this apparatus and held in lasted condition thereby while being sewed, the shoe in this instance being a turn slice, and this figure also illustrating how a welt may be secured to the upper and insole of a lasted shoe in the case of a welt shoe.

The apparatus shown in the drawings consists primarily of a toe or a forepart em-Y bracing member 2 in the form of a shell which may advantageously be made of spring metal and which is shown as of thin spring metal shaped substantially to the contour of the edge portion of the last with which it is to co-operate, being a snug fit thereto so that as it is forced upwardly on the shoe about the inverted last, Fig. 1, it will wipe the upper stock into lasted position and there maintain it. The member 2 is preferably so formed on its inner side that it is concave in vertical cross section and inclined rearwardly at the toe end, said face being shaped to conform substantially to the vertical contour of the toe end of the last. This has two advantages. The shaping action is extended downwardly from the edge of the inverted last when said member is in place so that the upper is clamped to the side face of the last for a substantial distance from the last edge downwardly. Also this shape assists the operator in positioning` the end embracing Amember at the right elevation relatively to the plane of the last bottom to hold the upper most effectively and to facilitate subsequent operations on the shoe embraced by said member.

The embracing member 2 is to be attached to the shoe for maintaining the upper stock in lasted position while the shoe ishandled, as for the purpose illustrated in Fig. 5

y Vhile variors constructions may be employed for attaining this result, I prefer to extend the sides of the member 2 rearwardly as at 3 to, and it may be around, the heel end of the shoe. In Figs. 1 and 2 the ends 3 are connected yieldingly and adiustably by a bolt 4 and springs 5, 5 while in Fig. '3 they are connected yieldingly by a bow spring 6 and in FigA 4 they are connected adjustably by a stud and eccentric latch 7..

These constructions all have the advantage that no projection above the shoebottom is presented which would interfere with the opera-tion thereon of such machines as the sewing machine of Fig. 5. The rear end portions 3 are cut away at their bottom edges 8, or are defiected downwards to allow a heel seat lasting and tacking machine to operate upon the side as well as the bottom of that portion of the shoe which includes the heel stiffener.

rlie embracing member 2 preferably includes portions shaped to lay the upper stock at the shank into the shank curvature of the last in position for sewing as at 9 and these shank formers or wipers 9 may or may not be hinged to the member 2 as at 10, Fig. 3.

The embracing member may be applied by hand, as by passing' it over the shoe in such manner as to encounter the least resistance and locating its heel end portion in approximately final position in abutting relation to the heel end face of the shoe and then swinging the forward portion upwardly with the lingers while the thumbs rest upon the shoe bottom, whereby the entire forepart and shank of the upper is wiped up at once to the position shown in Fig. 1 and is secured in lasted position as there shown. The upper at and about the toe may be doubled down over the top edge of member 2 while said member is being forced upwardly whereby desired tensioning` of the upper may be obtained at whatever places it is needed.

In Figs. 1 and 2 is shown means for effecting the toe lasting movement of the embracing member 2, said means comprising a toggle the upper arm 12 of which is forked to have detachable engagement with lugs 13 on members 2. The lower toggle arm 14 is pivoted to a fixed support such as the rod 15 that is held by binding screw 16 in a last pin 17 with capacity for adjustment to use with shoes and embracing members of different lengths. The toggle has an operating member 18 which is rigid with upper arm 12 and which has a face 19 to engage an abutment on arm 14 by which the toggle is locked when it has been operated to straightened position. These arrangements, taken with the adjustment of the rod 15, provide for raising the embracing member 2 to an approximately uniform vertical relation to the shoe bottom, it being preferable that it should occupy substantially the operative position disclosed in Figs. 1 and 5, in which it partially overlaps the edge face of the sole and maintains the upper in lasted position against said edge face with the margin of the upper standing substantially at right angles to the plane of the sole.

The parts above described constitute with the embracing member 2 a lasting machine of which the lasting means 2 is adapted,

while kholding upper stock in lasted relation to the last, to be removed with the shoe so as to maintain the upper in lasted condition while the shoe is being presented to anot-her machine, as for example the fastening machineindicated in Fig. 5. The device is effectively retained in position for holding the upper about the forepart through the action of the heel embracing portion assisted by the rearwardly curved toe portion and the inwardly curved shank portions of the device.

In Fig. 4 the embracing member 2 yhas a portion 2() to press the upper into the ylow place usually found on the top face of the last between the toe and the instep. ln this figure also the member 2 is formed in two sections connected by hinges 2l. llVhen the latch 7 has been unfastened the sections of member 2 can be turned to open said member for removal from a shoe after the upper has been fastened, Fig. 5, with-out wiping the upper down from the edge of the last.

lt is contemplated that use will be made of the illustrated apparatus by applying an upper to a last and then applying the vembracing member 2, positioning its heel portion substantially as shown .and forcing the forward Vportion upwardly in rubbing contact with the stock to wipe lthe upper to lasted position, Fig. l., after which .the shoe with the embracing member v2 clamping the stock in lasted position will be removed to a convenient place and subjected to a suitable upper and sole connecting operation, for eX- a-mple as in Fig. V5, r lif it be a McKay shoe the upper margin will be laid inwardly over and tacked to the innersole.

lt will be evident by .reference to the drawings that the member 2 cpresents an vuninterrupted exterior surfaceA which is substantially parallel to the lateral contour of the last lengthwise of the bottomedge of the shoe, this surface .beingadapted -to serve advantageously as a guide in the presentation of the work to a `machine for securing the upper to .the sole. rlhis smooth surface is entirely free from such irregularities as are presented on the lateral surfaceofa shoe, as, for example, at the ,rear edge of the .toe tip, and by the use of the device the operation of securing the upper to the sole fis consequently facilitated.

It will be apparent furthermore .that :by the use of this invention the usual time consuming operation of temporarily fastening the upper in lasted 4position by the use .of

fasteners inserted in the shoe is entirely eliminated whereby labor is saved; that .the slacking back of the stock which results to a greater or less kdegree :upon withdrawal of the lasting means after application of temporary fastenings .is avoided so that tighter lasting `and permanent fastening are obtained and the .appearance of the shoe thereby improved; and that the upper pattern rmay be cut substantially smaller because it is only needful that it -be long enough to permit the permanent fastening as in Fig. or otherwise.

lt should be understood that the term sole is used herein in its generic sense and except where required by the context imports no limitation as to the specific character of the bottom portion of the shoe to which the upper is to ibe secured to hold it in lasted position, whether the shoe be a welt shoe or a turn shoe or a shoe of other type.

.slay/'ing explained the nature of this invention l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States:

l. Apparatus of the cla-ss described comprising a. lasting device shaped to embrace the toe of a last and formed in vertical cross section to conform tothe vertical contour of the toe end of the last, saiddevice being constructed and karranged for manipulation to wipe the upper stock upwardly about the end and side faces of a shoe toeinto lasted relation to said faces and yfor temporary attachment to said .shoe for holding the upper stock in such lasted position while the sh'oe is being subsequently handled for presentation to an upper and sole connecting `machine.

2. Apparatus of the class vdescribed comprising a resilient -forepart embracing member constructed and arranged to engage the toe 0f an inverted shoe below'the'plane ofy its bott-om face and be raised and advanced to wipe the upper stock upwardly along the end and side facesfof the forepart of the last to said plane, said member having means to limit its upward movement relatively to the toe of the last and being adapted to remain on .the shoe clamping the stock to the edge of the shoe forepart while permitting the shoe to vbe handled in .presentation to an upper vand sole connecting machine.

3. Apparatus ofthe class described comprising a portable forepart embracing member adapted for attachment to a shoe and for turning movement on the shoe to which it is attached for wiping the upper stock into lasted position about the toe and maintaining it in such position while the `member remains attached tothe shoe, the inner face of said member being inclined rearwardly at the toe to limit its movement in wiping the upper toward lasted position.

Il. Apparatus of the class described comprising a resilient forepart embracing member having its rear ends movably connected .to clamp said member to the shoe and movable angularly about said ends to wipe the upper stock into lasted kposition about the toe vof a last and clamp rit around .the edge of the toe, said member having limiting means `to ,engage the shoe and prevent projection of said member above the edge of the toe.

A combined lasting and temporary fastening device comprising a resilient member shaped to embrace and yieldingly clamp the forepart of a shoe and having arms entending to the heel of the shoe.r said member havinn' an edge contour corresponding substantially to the curvature of the edge of the forepart of the lastand the arms bein;` cut away to present clearance around 'the heel for heel seat lasting and tachine operations.

6. A. combined lasting and temporary tening device comprising a forepart einbracing member having rear arms suitably shaped and yieldinglv connected to clamp the heel end of a. shoe and maintain the oevice in upper' holding position about the shoe forepart. said arms being cut away at their upper edges to clear the edgey of the shoe around the heel seat.

7. il. combined lasting and temporary fas tening device comprising a forepart embracing member having rear arms shaped and vieldingly connected to clamp the heel end of a shoe and provided *ith .inwardly inclined portions shaped to lay the upper stock at the shank of the shoe into the shank curvature of the last.

8. A combined lasting and temporary fastening device comprising the forepart embracing` member 2 having its rear ends 3 suitably shaped and vieldinglv connected to clamp the heel end of a shoe and having pivoted shank formers 9, substantially as described.

9. A combined lasting and temporary fasn tening device comprising a resilient member shaped to embrace the forepart of a shoe and to clamp the shoe yieldingly by its rear ends combined With means having detachable engagement with said device and construct-ed and arranged relatively to said forepart cmbracing member to turn it to wipe the upper upivardl)v about the toe of the last when actuated in one direction and operating to leave the device in upper holding` position when actuated in the reverse direction.

10. A combined lasting and temporary fastening device comprising a resilient member shaped to embrace the forepart of a shoe and to clamp the shoe yieldingly by its rear ends combined with a toggle l2, le having' detachable engagement ivith the said device for raising the toe end thereof and leaving it raised ivhen the. toggle is reversely moved substantially as described. and adjustable to adapt the operation of said device to the sise of the shoe.

ll. Apparatus of the class described comprising a portable lasting and upper hold ing device of resilient material, one portion of said device being shaped to embrace the forcpart of a shoe and having an upper edge of substantially the same outline as the lengthwise curvature of the forcpart of the last bottom and other portions o l` said device con'inrising arms extending around the heel with their upper edges at a substantial distance below the edge of the heel seat. said device being adapted to have an assembled shoe inserted through it and then to permit relative turning movement of the device and the shoe to cause the device to Wipe 'the upper up the side faces of the shoe foregart to V':he edge of the shoe bottom and clamp the upper to the last. along the edge of its forepart by the resiliency of the device.

12. Aplviaratus of the described cornprising a portable lastingdevice and temporary toe fastener including a forepart embracing member 2 Which. is made of spring metal and which is shaped substantially to the contour of the edge portion of the last with Which it is to co-operate, being` a snug lit thereto and having portions shaped to lay the upper stock into the shank curvature of the last in position for sewing to the shoe sole.

13. The combination with a shoe last, of a shell snugly fitting the lateral surface thereof but leaving the under surface exposed, said shell being cut apart on a vertical line1 and means for forcibly drawing toward each other the edges of said out shell.

lll. The combination with a. last, of a shell inclosing the sides thereof but leaving the under surface of the last exposed, the heel of said shell being cut apart on a vertical line.4 said shell having means for forcibly dra-Wing toward each other the edges of the cut shell.

l5. The combination with a shoe last, of a shoe embracing member of resilient material which is constructed and arranged to adapt itself at substantially every point of contact to the contour of the last and snugly fitting the lateral surfaces of the last but leaving the under surface exposed, said member being out apart on a vertical line and means for forcibly drawing toward cach other the edges of said member.

16. The combination with a last of a resilient shoe embracing member constructed and arranged to adapt itself at substantially every point of contact to the contour of the last, said member inclosing the sides and extending uninterruptedly around the forepart of the last While leaving the under surface of the last exposed, the heel of said member being out apart on a vertical line, said member having means for forcibly drawing toward each other the edges of its heel portion.

17. Apparatus of the class described comprising a lasting device constructed to Wipe an upper over the lateral surface of a. last into lasted position by relative movement of said device and the last and to position the'upperfwithits margin upstanding substantially at right angles to theplane of the sole of the shoe, said device being constructed to embrace thefforepart of the shoe and to conform yieldingly to variations in the curve ofthe lateral-surface of the last about? thel forepart, the device being also portable with the shoe and' constructed to hold the upper in said lasted position* while the shoe is presented to a machine for securing the upper to the sole.

18. Apparatus of the class described com prising a device constructed to extend about substantially the entire periphery cfa shoe on a last and to conform yieldinglyv about the forepart of the shoe to variations in the curve of the lateral surface of the last lengthwise of its bottom edge, said device being constructed to abut against the rear end face of the shoe and by swinging movement about said face to wipe the upper at the forepart in the direction of the bottom edge of the shoe and then to. hold the upper in iinally lasted position with the margin of the upper upstanding substantially at y right angles to the plane of the shoe bottom.

19. Apparatus of the class described comprising a device constructed to extend about substantially the entire periphery of a shoe and to conform substantially to the contour of the lateral surfaceof the shoe lengthwise of the bottom edge about the forepart, said device having a porti-on constructed and arranged to abut against the rear end face of the shoe to resist forward thrust, and means for swinging said device substantially about the rear end portion of the shoe for wiping the upper into lasted position at the forepart of the shoe.

20. Apparatus of the class described comprising a device constructed to embrace a shoe about the forepart and by movement toward the bottom of the shoe to wipe the upper into lasted position with the margin of the upper upstanding substantially at right angles to the plane of the sole of the shoe, said device being portable with the shoe and constructed to hold the upper in said lasted position, and means for detachably engaging said device and imparting thereto its upper wiping movement.

21. Apparatus of the class described comprising a lasting device constructed to extend aboutthe periphery of the forepart of a shoe and by relative movement between it and the shoe to wipe the upper into lasted position, said device being constructed to hold the upper in lasted position and having an exterior surface substantially parallel to the curve of the lateral surface of the last lengthwise of the bottom edge of the shoe round the forepart to serve as a guide during presentation of the shoe to amachine for securing the upper to a sole.

22. In apparatus of the class described,

a device constructed to/exte'nd about" the pe-v riphery of shoe at theforepart andto hold the upper in lasted position while the' shoeis presented to a machine fors'ecuring the 'upperto the sole of the shoe, said device vbeing so constructed as to leave a portion of the upper'4 located between the planes of the bottom and' topfaces of thesole free for the operationof said machine thereon.r

23. In apparatus of the class described, device constructed toextend about the peV` riphery ofy a shoe atthe forepart and tofho'ldX the upper in lasted position with the margin` of the upper upstanding substantially at right angles to theplaneof the sole of the shoe, said device having means" for'positio'ni ing it in such relation to the shoe as to present that edge of the device which is adjacent to the bottom of the shoe in a location between the plane of the exposed face of the sole and the top of the shoe.

2e. In apparatus of the class described, a device of resilient material constructed to extend about substantially the entire periphery of a lasted shoe and to conform itself substantially to variations in the curve of the lateral surface of the shoe lengthwise of the bottom edge of the shoe about the :torepart for holding the upper of the shoe in lasted position.

25. In apparatus of the class described, a portable holding device constructed to effect substantially continuous engagement with the upper of a lasted shoe round the toe exteriorly of the edge of the shoe bottom while leaving the marginal portion of the bottom face of the shoe exposed all round the toe, said device presenting an uninterrupted exterior face substantially parallel to the curve of the last round the toe lengthwise of the bottom edge of the last and affording a sur face by which the shoe can be guided in subsequently presenting the shoe to a machine for securing the upper to a sole.

26. In apparatus of the class described, a device constructed to'extend about the peripheral surface of the forepart of a lasted shoe to hold the upper in lasted position, said device having a toe end portion constructed to incline rearwardly toward the top of the toe of thev shoe and other portions constructed to extend inwardly toward the bottom of the shoe at opposite sides of the shank to assist in positioning the device.

27. In apparatus of the class described, a device constructed to extend about substantially the entire periphery of a lasted shoe to hold the upper in lasted position, said device being constructed to present a bottom edge portions of which are located respectively at different distances from the bottom of the shoe.

28. In an apparatus for lasting shoes, the combination with a last, of means for working an upper over the last and for holding .it in finally lasted position with its margin upstanding substantially at right angles to the plane of the sole of the shoe, said over- Working and holding means being constructed to serve as a guide in presenting the Work to a machine for securing the lasted upper to the sole,

29. A lasting machine having, in combinar tion, a Wiper, and means for operating the Wiper to Wipe the upper into lasted position with its margin standing at the edge face of the insole substantially at right angles to the plane of the insole.

30. A. lasting machine, having, in Combination, a Wiper, and means for operating the Wiper to Wipe the upper into lasted position ELI BROTHERS.

Witnesses:

CHESTER E. Roenes, RUTH E. WARD. 

